Chapter 3: The Stickiness Factor

Posted on by Carl Weber

Now it is getting interesting.  As someone who grew up on Sesame Street, it was fascinating to understand how much effort was behind teachtaining (new word) me as a kid.  Learning what is behind making a TV show, initiative, or marketing effort sticky caused me to look around and listen for attempts at stickiness.  Was that message really intended for me?  Was that lame jingle their attempt at sticking in my mind?

Recently I participated in a “treasure hunt” approach similar to the Columbia example in the book.  This company through its email newsletter asked me to participate in an online game that asks you to fill your shopping cart with various natural brands that they are affiliated with.  The intention is to get each of us to visit the various websites and begin to use these brands.  There was a two-part incentive.  If you visited all the sites, you got coupons to purchase these products, but that was the minor incentive.  One lucky winner would get a $15,000 new kitchen.  Since I have been consciously avoiding re-doing our kitchen (except for a fresh coat of paint), they got my attention.  The game was fun and interesting enough to get me to do the work.  As of today, I did not win, but I will keep you posted.

What recently demonstrated the stickiness factor for you?  Was it an ad, a song, a company, or a person?  Is all stickiness good?  Sometimes I am amazed at the stickiness of certain pop songs with my kids.  Can you think of an example where someone or something was attempting to be sticky for good or bad?  In the over-crowded and potentially over-connected space of our lives, do you notice that these attempts are becoming more cutting edge or more over-the-top?  Do these attempts move to you action, or are they just background noise?  Look around for the next few days, and let all of us know what you observe.

Now that I think about watching Blue’s Clues with my kids, I realized how much I enjoyed that program as well, and its non-flashy journey based episodes.  It was deliberately sticky, especially for parents who were growing tired with the lightning paced shows it was competing with.  Or maybe I was just tired and needed a nap.

Published by Carl Weber

Carl Weber, is the owner and founder of Carl Weber Consulting, a consulting group that helps businesses, non-profits, and individuals understand themselves, hire and manage well, and become great leaders. Carl worked in local government for more than ten years, as the Town Administrator of a few towns in NH. Once upon a time he was a search and rescue swimmer for the US Navy. Carl holds Bachelors’ Degrees in Political Science & Community Development and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy. Carl is a Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst (CPBA) and Certified Professional Motivators Analyst (CPMA). Carl regularly teaches on human factors and the relationship of behavior and leadership styles, as well as motivation, coaching, leadership challenges, and failing as a leader. His passion is to help leaders in their lifelong journey to finish well, to combat and work with their inner voice, and to live a meaningful story worth reading. Carl lives in Southern New Hampshire with his wife Amanda and together they are raising a small tribe of four young (somewhat crazy) women with the goal of unleashing them on the world to change it for the better.